A Note to my Readers: My Mom once described coupons as those ‘pretty papers she threw away with the newspaper.” That is, until I introduced her to shopping at CVS. Now she and I giggle over the phone about our latest ECB deal and check up with each other on Sundays to be sure we remembered to pick up the paper. She’s hooked.
So I asked her if she would write a guest post about the unique and fun method she uses to organize her next trip to CVS. She graciously agreed.
If you are a CVS newbie or even a veteran, this method is a great way to simplify your next CVS shopping trip. Check it out and then enter her giveaway!
“If I can’t see something, it doesn’t exist.”
–Nancy Hill
I get overwhelmed in the presence of confusion, so you can imagine how overwhelmed I felt when I started my CVS adventure. Picture this: with my hands full of coupons I’m trying to push my cart at the same time that I’m leafing through a 14-page CVS flyer and watching my stack of ECBs flutter to the floor.
Then, let’s see, is it the 4.0 oz., 4.2 oz. or the 4.6 oz. size? Is it the MaxFresh or the MaxWhite? The Sensitive or the Advanced Whitening? And when will I ever learn that Colgate is spelled C-O-L-G-A-T-E and Crest is spelled C-R-E-S-T?
Do you relate? I thought so.
I am a visual learner. I can’t make neat piles like some of my organized friends do, because if I can’t see something, it doesn’t exist. I finally came up with a shopping tool that works perfectly for me.
At the $1 Store, I found a 4×6 photo album (in which I would never put my photos); you know the type, with the top-loading slip-in sleeves. It’s flimsy and flexible and fits perfectly in my purse. I decorated the cover of it, including, of course, the words Cha-Ching!
These are the steps I now take each week:
–When I get the latest CVS flyer, I go through each page with delicious anticipation and use a Sharpie to put fat black circles around everything that looks interesting. (I try to get two flyers because I cut out the little ads with the colorful little pictures of the products. Sometimes the ads are back-to-back, so a second flyer solves this little problem.)
–Then I pull up www.chachingonashoestring.com to study the current deals Kaley has cooked up for me.
–Now I’m ready to cut out the pictures and product descriptions and slip them into my beautiful Cha-ching binder, one deal per sleeve. Then I find my manufacturer coupons, any printed coupons or rainchecks and slip them behind the product picture.
For example, currently in one sleeve in my album I have a cut-out with Hellman’s 2/$4.00. Behind that I have a manufacturer coupon for 60 cents and a printed coupon for $1.00 off. Since they ran out of Hellman’s when this deal was running, I got a raincheck so that is also slipped in behind the picture.
IT’S ALL THERE!! I CAN SEE IT!! IT’S SO SLEEK, SO SHINY!! I AM NOT OVERWHELMED!!
I do this for all the specials I plan to take advantage of. There are still some sleeves empty at the end of the album; these are important because this last step was stressful for me before.
When I find the product on the shelf and put it in my cart, I leave that picture in the sleeve but pull out the coupons and slip them in the designated sleeve in the back next to the ECBs from past transactions. (I leave the pictures so when I get my receipt I go over the list of ECBs and compare them to my pictures. Several times they have failed to give me all my ECBs-gasp!)
Are you still with me? Don’t quit yet! I find the next product, drop it in my cart and pull out the coupons from behind the picture and put it in the same sleeve as the previous coupons. All the coupons I am going to need are in that one pocket ready to be pulled out and slapped on the counter. Rainchecks should be in a third sleeve at the back of the album.
Now when I sashay up to the counter, I’m all ready and organized. 1) If I need rainchecks or if I’m using one, I start with those. 2) Then I put the rest of my products on the counter and let the clerk ring them up. 3) I pull out all my coupons from the one sleeve for her to deduct. So easy! 4) Finally I pull out the ECBs from their shiny home and watch the price shrink. Cha-ching! Cha-ching! Cha-ching!
If you think this is a tool that would work for you also, I have created three Cha-Ching! albums as a gift for the readers of this blog….
So what do you have to do to enter? So glad you asked!
Here is how you can enter this 72 hour giveaway:
- Subscribe to our feed by e-mail or in a reader and leave a comment telling us you did so. (Yep–it’s free!) If you are already a subscriber, leave a comment letting us know.
- We’ve joined Twitter! Get an additional entry by following us on Twitter and leaving a comment letting us know you are a follower.
- If you tweet or blog about this giveaway, add an additional comment for each to receive extra entries in the contest.
This giveaway ends at 8:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, August 27 2009. We’ll use Random.org to select the three winning comments. Winners will be notified by email and listed on this site.
Awesome tutorial! Great idea to organize your trip! I am already a subscriber to the newsfeed and would love one of those books!!
I’m already a subscriber and would love to win one od those organizer books – thanks for the chance!
what a great idea…thanks
LOVE this post, Mom!
Great idea! (also, I’m a subscriber) Thanks!
I subscribed and I love this idea! I want one of those books!
Nancy – I hope you read these comments – i LOVE that you said you “sashay up to the counter” – it’s so you… Susan
Great idea! I’m just getting my mom into CVS’ing. Usually we go together, but this idea may work for her when she eventually moves to Texas.
Oh, and I just subscribed to the email feed. I think I’ll enjoy that better than remembering to check the RSS feed in my bookmarks!
I’m a subscriber through my google reader. Thanks!
I am a subscriber and would love to win this!! New to couponing!
I subscribe — and being new to this couponing thing would love to win one of those books.
GREAT idea! I read this early, and had time to get all my coupons into an album before I went to Walgreens today. I LOVE it! It was an easy so much easier to get everything and make sure I used the right coupons. (Next time I need to make sure I organize them by category, though…I went up and down that store so many times!)
Thanks for the tip!
I LOVE it! I’m a visual learner too and I sometimes have to bring 4 younger children with me; therefore, I have one fewer hand and eyes in the back of my head (as well as half a brain for CVS). If possible, though, my gracious husband volunteers to stay at home with them for me and I have “mommy time” at CVS.
I visit daily and I think I successfully subscribed in a reader. Thanks for the opportunity!
I subscribe to emails.
That is a really great idea! Thank you for such a wonderful giveaway
I really liked the guest post on CVS and her system-that seems like something that could work for me!
I subscribe by email. I loved the post and am going to adopt this system for myself. thanks
already an email subscriber
am now following on twitter-vickers2622
Ok, I am totally impressed. This is another great idea which leaves me wondering “Why did I think of that?” GREAT IDEA!
subscriber!
WOW! What a wonderful idea! I’ve tried the binder, but those little slots of baseball card holders are way too small for most coupons. I tried envelopes for each store, and have a mess in my purse. This is great! I’m going to the dollar store now and..watch out CVS, I’m dangerous when I’m organized:)
This is such a good idea…..I am new to the CVS game….and I am overwhelmed….I also figure we are in the same “age bracket” perhaps of 50ish and it seems I am fumbling with all my “stuff” when I am at the drug store trying to “compute” deals…..your photo album would help my sanity stay “organized” LOL….I so want to learn to do this ! thanks…..I sashay too!!!!!!
OH MY GOSH!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SITE.
I ALSO AM A VISUAL LEARNER AND HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING AS YOU HAVE. YOU CAN BET IF I DON’T WIN ONE OF YOUR ALBUMS, I WILL BE HITTING THE DOLLAR STORE THIS WEEKEND TO BUY ONE!!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL COLUMN,
ALLIE
I subscribe. I loved the tutorial!
I’m a follower on Twitter!
What a great idea to collect coupons,receipts,rainchecks etc.I am new to this coupon savings and this is a great organizationl tool.Thanks a lot!
Great idea! I am so ready to dive into this CVS game!
I am an email subscriber.
Thanks!
I now follow you on Twitter (hmommy)
OMG….I HAVE to win this!!! It is so freakin’ cute
Love it…..
I am a loyal subscriber!!!
I am now also following you on twitter!!!
And I just tweeted about the giveaway @ twitter.com/kelliblossom
i loved your mom’s description of her method ( i love her too) its a great idea. i already subscribe and excitedly go to my e-mail daily. thanks again
I’m a subscriber.
I subscribe. Love the post with the visuals. I too am a visual person and will be converting to your method. Thanks!
IM A SUBSCRIBER THIS IS A GREAT POST.I LIKE HOW YOU GET ORGANIZE TO GO TO CVS .I MISS SOME DEALS BECAUSE I M SO UNORGANIZED.SO PLEASE HELP.
That is a great way to organize your coupons for any store. And it would definitely fit in anyone’s purse or diaper bag. Thanks for sharing.
I already subscribe by e-mail and I’m going to try to make a book if I don’t win one. I think I will make one for Rite Aid and Walgreens. I love how she wrote how she had a hard time at first. Eveyone acts like it should be a breeze but I know alot of people get confused! I ‘m happy to know we can get better at this!! Happy Couponing! Pat
What a great idea! I would love to be able to do this for myself.
I already subscribe by email, and am loving it!!
Already a subscriber!
I love this idea. I too am a visual learner. I also subscribe.
I love this idea and I just subscribed!!! Thanks.
I just subscribed to your RSS feed and I’m following you on Twitter! My twitter handle is MsJen00
How cool is that little bookie? I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed.
I’ve blogged about the giveaway too.
Pick me! Pick Me!
I just subscribed! Please enter me. That was what I came here to do anyway, while I was reading posts!
LOVE this idea!
Oh and I am also following you on Twitter now as well! Thank you!
I absolutely loved the idea of the coupon book. Seems like mom and I have the same thinking process. I’d love to be the recipient of one of her books. You guys are the
greatest !!!!
[...] since my Mom guest posted about her CVS couponing system, we have been overwhelmed by such a positive response. You guys wanted to know how you could [...]